I think it’s fair to say that everyone loves a good hammock. I mean, the word is almost synonymous with relaxation and good times!
The Kammok Swiftlet is one of the lightest and most portable hammock stands on the market. Being made from aluminum tubing that packs easily down into its own carry bag, the Swiftlet is designed so you can have the freedom to hang anywhere, with no trees necessary.
I’m Helen, one of the founders of Trail & Kale, where we test and review the best in outdoor gear, from camping to running, mountain biking to paddle boarding and everything in between.
In this Kammok Swiftlet review I:
- explain the key features as well as the pros and cons of this stand
- demonstrate how to set it up (whether that’s for camping or simply at home in your backyard or balcony)
- explain the two different modes (one for lounging and sleeping, the other for using the hammock as a chair!)
- tell you where you can buy it with an almost-free Roo double hammock and get 10% off!
Why you need a portable hammock stand
The challenge with having a hammock and no stand to go with it is that you’re restricted to hanging it in places where there are the perfect pair of trees or posts, perfectly spaced out, in an area where hanging a hammock from trees is permitted.
This restricts hammock usage to limited locations and situations and, well, that’s just not fair!
The people at Kammok clearly thought hammocks should be enjoyed in more versatile places, hence why they created this adjustable ‘go-anywhere’ portable hammock stand – no trees required.
About Kammok
Based in Austin, TX, Kammok designs and sells a range of high-quality, adventure-ready gear.
The company is a registered B-Corp as well as a 1% For The Planet member, which means they donate 1% of their top line revenue each year to nonprofit partners.
As reviewers of outdoor adventure gear, we’ve experienced some great Kammok gear over the years, as well as getting a first look at innovative new products such as their Outpost on-vehicle hammock stand.
Kammok gear is always of superior quality, features innovative, thoughtful design, and comes with a lifetime warranty – all hallmarks of a premium outdoor gear brand – so I was excited to get into testing the Swiftlet and sharing my thoughts on it with you in this review.
What’s included with the Kammok Swiftlet
The Swiftlet is a portable hammock stand that packs down into its own travel bag so you can sling it in your car or truck to take places, whether that’s car camping, tailgating, the beach or the park.
It is currently available on its own or, if you don’t already have a hammock you can buy a bundle including a heavily discounted Roo Double hammock (one of the brand’s best-sellers) in a range of different colors – here’s a link to the currently available options.
Key features of the Kammok Swiftlet
The first thing you should know about the Swiftlet portable hammock stand is that it’s not just adjustable – you also have the option to use it as either a traditional lounging hammock or as a hammock chair.
I explain below how to switch between the two modes, lounge mode and chair mode, and demonstrate this in my Swiftlet video review later in this post.
Chair Mode vs. Lounge Mode
Lounge mode is the Swiftlet’s default hammock lounging / sleeping mode, which uses the long bar at the base of the frame.
Lounge mode is suitable for people up to around 6ft 4. If you’re taller than that, you can also buy an extension bar to make it longer and more comfortable for you to lounge in!
To use the Swiftlet in chair mode, simply swap out the long bar for the short bar that’s also included, and adjust the slider on the side bars to keep you high enough off the ground.
I find both modes super comfortable. Being fairly pregnant as I write this, I don’t need much excuse to take the opportunity to sit or lie down in a comfortable spot for a quick nap or relaxation moment!
Technical specs
The majority of the frame is made from aluminum tubing, and the four feet have rubber bases to help with grip and prevent marking on decks and patios.
The total packed weight is 17.4 lbs.
This is less (12.6 lbs) if you just take the short bar (for chair mode) rather than both the long and short bars together, and 14.5 lbs if you leave the short bar at home.
Compared to many stands on the market, which tend to be made from steel, it’s very lightweight, and relatively portable, especially because everything you need for it packs down into the included travel bag.
The stand has a 400 lbs maximum weight capacity, for one to two people.
You can get an idea of the size of the unfolded packed dimensions by looking at the pictures throughout this review, but here are the specifics:
- Folded dimensions L 50 x W 8.5 x H 8.5 in
- Unfolded – short bar (chair mode): L 41 x W 34 in
- Unfolded – long bar (lounge mode): L 74 x W 34 in
Setup
Setup takes a couple of minutes and can easily be done by one person.
Check out the video embedded in this post for a demonstration of how the pieces fit together – they click together neatly and you don’t need any tools, screws, extra straps or webbing so it’s a pretty simple process.
You can set up the stand to hang in a variety of terrain (whether there are trees or it’s a treeless desert or beach), including uneven surfaces, although it’s best to find a relatively flat area so you don’t have to get creative to level the feet out.
Adjusting the hammock height is simple, two. There are 11 adjustable points which you simply slide it up or down until you reach your desired height from the ground.
In case you were wondering, yes, you can totally use this stand for hammock camping!
In addition to car camping, however, one of the things I love about this product is that you can really take it and use it in a lot of places, whether that’s hanging at home on your deck, balcony, patio or elsewhere in your backyard, or by taking it to the beach or park.
It’s also worth noting you can stake its feet to the ground if needed (stakes aren’t included, however).
In the photos throughout this review, I have the hammock stand set up on my deck.
It will also be very at home on a balcony or patio, or elsewhere in your backyard, as well as, of course, car camping.
The stand itself is waterproof so you can leave it outdoors if it rains, although I’d suggest taking the hammock itself off, so the material doesn’t get damaged with wind, dirty or filled with water.
If you wanted to, you could even set it up as an occasional guest bed inside your home!
Other Kammok gear you can use with the portable hammock stand
If you don’t already have a hammock you can use with it then I definitely suggest you check to see if Kammock is still offering their Swiftlet bundle deal where you get the Roo Double hammock and Swiftlet cup holder included with this stand!
This portable system is also compatible with Kammok’s shade accessory kit that is designed for the Swiftlet.
If you are using it somewhere colder then you can also attach a trail quilt underneath the hammock for some warmth.
As mentioned above, you can also get an extra extension bar if you’re over 6ft 4 tall and need that extra length in the frame to lounge comfortably.
It’s worth noting that while the shade accessory provides protection from light rain, the Swiftlet is not currently directly compatible with a waterproof rain tarp, so you’d need to set that up with separate poles, posts or hiking poles, if needed.
Cost and where to buy
The Swiftlet stand costs $279.99 if bought on its own, but as mentioned above, the Swiftlet stand bundle ($299) is the option to go for if you also need a hammock, as you effectively get the Roo Double hammock and Swiftlet cup holder for an extra $20 (the Roo Double alone costs $85 otherwise!).
Extra discount tip: when bought directly from Kammok (hit the button below to go there) you can also get 10% off your order by signing up for their email newsletter:
US shipping is free on orders over $99, and as mentioned above, all Kammok gear comes with a lifetime warranty!
Kammok Swiftlet Video Review
Watch more gear reviews on our YouTube Channel.
Kammok Swiftlet Review Summary
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